SAVE OUR STOW PRESS STATEMENT-30 AUGUST 2010

London & Quadrant has now sunk to a new low by questioning a Government Minister and local Member of Parliament of their interpretation of a meeting. L&Q has blatantly accused them of “misunderstanding “. This from a part funded by the tax payer social charity that has misled the whole Borough with ten so-called planning dates that never happened and blaming their ex business partner on the site, Yoo Capital, for  not listening to the residents when it is clearly L&Q that are not listening to the people’s wishes.

It should be remembered that L&Q spent £18.1m of part tax payers’ money on a completely viable greyhound track. They bought it because the previous owners told them that it was non-viable and they mistakenly believed them. L&Q clearly failed in their ‘due diligence’ costing the tax payer millions of pounds. Had they bothered to check with the Greyhound Authorities or investigated the accounts in more detail, they would have found out that the stadium was being run down on purpose for the sole aim of attracting a sale to a development company that would offer them the highest return. Despite the previous owners’ tactics, the business remained wholly viable with the operating profits remaining healthy, albeit being filtered in to the directors’ own pockets via inflated salaries and a financially draining pension scheme that they almost exclusively benefitted from. A complete feasibility study of the greyhound operation was submitted to L&Q as part of Mr Morton’s proposal. It has not been questioned by L&Q.

Walthamstow Greyhound Stadium has operated for 75 years, providing local employment, inward investment to the borough and much needed leisure for the families of the borough and the East End of London in a cost effective way, creating a melting pot regardless of colour or creed for the residents to all mix together in a safe, family friendly environment. Waltham Forest does not have any other facility with the history and heritage that matches the world famous “Stow” and why should the borough give it up?  We have a company that wants to run the Greyhound Stadium in line with the Mayor of London’s” vision for the Stow” and the head of this company is Bob Morton, a Businessman of the highest calibre who could help bring further inward investment in to the borough.

London & Quadrant has never made public their thoughts on the Mayor’s vision nor added them to their website updates. This is completely disrespectful to the Mayor of London but at the same time L&Q carry on with plans which blatantly ignore the Mayor. In line with the Mayor’s vision, Mr Morton has separated the site in to two distinct sections, the Greyhound Racing section and the residential development section. Mr Morton has offered L&Q £4 million for the Greyhound Section of the site alone and has placed a value on the development section of the site of £4-£5m. This equates to Mr Morton’s valuation of the whole site of £8-£9m as reported in the Press. Mr Morton has also budgeted a further 6 million in line with the Mayors vision for the high quality refurbishment for that section of the site which will transform it to a top quality leisure arena that the whole borough can be rightly proud of. L&Q will retain the far side of the site to build about 120 social housing units. In Stella Creasy’s words, a ‘win, win’ situation.

We invite L&Q to have an independent valuation of the site to back up the quote from the director of L&Q that the offer from Mr Morton ‘currently falls so far short of the market value that it fails to merit further consideration’ and to answer the Minister’s questions directly in open press to avoid any “misunderstandings”. Mr Morton’s proposals value the site at between £8-£9m as detailed above.

The Residents of the borough have already voiced their opinion to L&Q on what is wanted on the land by completing L&Q’s Public Consultation questionnaires, which L&Q has never made public because 95% stated they wanted Greyhound Racing on the site even though that option was not even allowed on the form. Such is the feeling in the borough for the return of greyhound racing that the Planning Department of Waltham Forest received 10 times more replies for the Stow to be protected as a greyhound stadium in their ‘Call for Sites’ than any other site in the borough’s history. Saveourstow are joined by various local residents associations such as the Blackhorse Action Group in our campaign to deliver for the site what this borough wants.

MP’s, Councillors, residents associations, SaveOurStow and the residents directly at L&Q’s consultation have told L&Q that Greyhound Racing must be retained at the stadium . The borough will not be hoodwinked by L&Q with” other leisure” on the land. It is a greyhound stadium with a viable use and a company wishes to run it for its current use maintaining employment on the land and returning heritage and an inexpensive night out for the borough’s residents and beyond.

A government minister has already accused L&Q of “not being characteristic of a housing association which is committed to the needs and wishes of the local community”. The Conservative Councillors have accused L&Q of being ‘totally unwilling to even discuss Mr Morton’s offer which would deliver the mixed use, leisure led, scheme that is what people here actually want… they are acting in the worst traditions of avaricious private developers”.

SaveOurStow will today be writing to L&Q’s patron HRH Prince Charles and government departments who fund London & Quadrant and we urge all residents, Councillors, MP’s to join with us on our march against L&Q to be announced shortly.

Finally we call upon L&Q to honour the Mayor’s vision for the Stow and the wishes of local MP’s, councillors and residents by returning to the negotiating table with Bob Morton.

Contact : Rick Holloway : 07913 325674

Conservative Councillors speak out against L&Q

“Waltham Forest’s Conservative Councillors are extremely disappointed and concerned at L&Q’s unacceptable out of hand dismissal of the serious offer made by Bob Morton for Walthamstow Stadium. L&Q seem, in contradiction of their claims to being an organisation that listens to the views of local people and their elected representatives, to be totally unwilling to even discuss Mr Morton’s offer which would deliver the mixed use, leisure led, scheme that is what people here actually want. L&Q, far from being the community minded and socially responsible body they like to claim to be, are clearly now acting in the worst traditions of avaricious private developers.

We very strongly urge L&Q to reconsider their hasty and ill judged rejection of Bob Morton’s offer and to do the right thing for Waltham Forest and work with him to achieve a deal.”

Best wishes
Cllr Matt Davis

Leader of the Conservative Council Group, London Borough of Waltham Forest

MP’s demand serious answers from L&Q !!

Iain Duncan Smith MP and Stella Creasy MP said in a joint statement:

“We are very disappointed that L&Q has rejected Bob Morton’s offer without meeting him beforehand. L&Q now need to answer some very serious questions. On what grounds did they reject a bid without even meeting the bidder to discuss his proposals? Why do L&Q challenge Bob Morton’s offer on the basis of its “planning viability”? How would the “planning viability” of L&Q’s own proposals be different from that of Bob Morton’s? L&Q state that Bob Morton’s offer was “well short of the current market valuation and potential of the site”. What then is the current market valuation of the site?”

“We are both committed to securing a future for the stadium and are meeting Ministers at the DCLG shortly to discuss this. We will also be seeking to make representations to the HCA about this. L&Q’s conduct with regard to Bob Morton’s offer – and in general – is not in keeping with the spirit of our meeting with the Chief Executive last month and is not characteristic of a housing association which is committed to the needs and wishes of the local community.”

L&Q turn down Bob Morton’s bid

L&Q have flatly turned down Bob Morton’s bid for Walthamstow Stadium, please read this weeks Guardian for the complete story by clicking HERE

Save Our Stow will formally respond in the near future.

SAVE OUR STOW PRESS RELEASE – 23 AUGUST 2010

Save Our Stow, the organisation consisting of local residents of Waltham Forest and greyhound owners, trainers and enthusiasts, plans to bring back greyhound racing and offer affordable housing on a multi use site. In its 75 year history the track provided jobs, inward investment, leisure and a true sense of community and heritage. Waltham Forest’s identity is the track and our new plans for the stadium are backed by Mayor Boris Johnson’s vision for the Stow, Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith (Minister for Jobs and Pensions), Stella Creasy (MP for Walthamstow), All Party Parliamentary Greyhound Group, local Labour , Tory and Lib Dem Councillors, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain , local Residents Associations and the vast majority of residents in the borough.

L&Q has not had any support for any of their schemes for the iconic site yet still persist, after two years, in putting residents who worked at the stadium out of work and on long term benefits, putting enormous strain on local Council resources and denying Waltham Forest of much needed inward investment and job opportunities. The stadium is viable and we have a company ready to start work for the good of the Borough but the only organisation that is holding everyone back is publicly funded London & Quadrant who are draining the public purse on both and national and local level.

Bob Morton submitted a detailed bid for the site that satisfies the wishes of the public-the same public that funds London & Quadrant.

Save Our Stow is outraged at L&Q’s reaction to Bob Morton’s bid for the Stow and, in particular, the stalling tactics employed. L&Q has created an eyesore for the Borough, misleading everyone and blaming all but themselves for the mess they find themselves in with regard to this site. Local MP’s, who represent the residents, made clear to L&Q the wishes of the Borough and demanded they meet with Mr Morton and that the site should consist of Greyhound Racing, yet L&Q still carry on the sham of now dropping from 500 homes to 300 homes for 18.1 million of tax payers money with no mention of a greyhound track. In fact the total building costs would put another 45 million on the bill for the tax payer. This is a total and utter disgrace with two L&Q Directors’ combined salaries alone taking over £450,000 a year out of the public purse. We call on the government to now intervene and follow their own Policy and stop funding L&Q.

London & Quadrant has misled the public constantly about when planning applications will be submitted to the council (ten dates up till now) and they will never obtain planning permission. Throughout this sham they have lost two commercial partners (Yoo Capital, K.W. Linfort). They are now on to their third firm of architects all paid for by the public purse and they acknowledge the complete mess they are in by now employing a firm of political Public Relations Advisors to work on the site PR, again paid for by you the taxpayer.

At the last public consultation L&Q was told by hundreds of people that they wanted the return of greyhound racing. The council received more than ten times more submissions to protect the Stow than any other site in the Borough’s history. L&Q are hearing this message but are not listening to it. It is beyond belief that they now want another public consultation paid by the public purse while ignoring and not issuing the results of the first one but blaming Yoo Capital for the fact they did not want to listen to the residents. L&Q is now exposed, isolated and still wasting more public funds on this site and Government must now intervene.

Bob Morton has tabled a genuine offer which deserves urgent and full consideration. It provides a solution that benefits all aspects of the community.

This farce must not continue any longer. It must stop here and now. L&Q must be prevented from speculating on the housing market using tax payers’ money. More than two years have elapsed without any plans being submitted or a single brick being laid and this will be the case for years to come unless action is taken now.

Bob Morton will provide the additional information requested by L&Q without delay. We ask that L&Q fully engage by contacting Mr Morton by Tuesday 31 August 2010 with a view to scheduling a meeting with Mr Morton and his team to discuss the proposals in depth.

If notice of this meeting is not forthcoming in line with the above timetable, then the campaign will recommence on a bigger scale starting with a march to L&Q’s main office. The march will be led by Stella Creasy MP and Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith and will have the full backing of the All Party Parliamentary Group and local residents. It will provide the platform for the local residents to demand that L&Q engage fully with Mr Morton.

We would repeat that we are calling upon L&Q to immediately and completely engage with Mr Morton for the benefit of the community by getting back to the negotiating table without delay as directed by the Minister for Work and Pensions the Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith and Stella Creasy (MP for Walthamstow).

Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith today added :

“I am disappointed that L&Q has decided not to meet Bob Morton to discuss his offer in more depth, particularly in the light of my conversation with the Chief Executive of L&Q, who assured me that he would take seriously any offers made for the site. I urge L&Q to follow through on this promise and meet Bob Morton as soon as possible.”

Contact : Rick Holloway 07913 325674

BOB MORTON TABLES FORMAL BID TO PURCHASE STOW

SAVE OUR STOW PRESS STATEMENT-19 AUGUST 2010

BOB MORTON TABLES FORMAL BID TO PURCHASE STOW

‘To return greyhound racing to this, its primary and historic home’ (Mayor Boris Johnson)

SAVE OUR STOW is delighted to announce that Mr Bob Morton, in his capacity as President of the Greyhound Owners Breeders and Trainers Association (GOBATA), has formally submitted his written proposals regarding the purchase of Walthamstow Stadium to current owners London & Quadrant. The proposals include a formal bid for the outright purchase of the land.

To paraphrase Mayor Boris Johnson, Mr Morton is seeking to return greyhound racing to its ‘primary and historic home’.

Maybe the simplest way of describing Mr Morton’s plans for the new Walthamstow Stadium is to liken it to the ‘Royal Ascot’ of greyhound racing. The new stadium will encompass the best traditions and practices of the famous Stow but it will be vastly improved, making it a top class leisure arena. Mr Morton’s plans involve a state of the art leisure arena with residential accommodation at the southern boundary of the site which will include affordable housing.

This multi use stadium will provide great benefits to the community.  Most importantly it will offer a safe, inexpensive family friendly night out for the local community and beyond. It will also create hundreds of jobs for the local community allowing individuals to be no longer reliant on state benefits. The business brought about by the stadium will be spread far and wide, from taxi drivers to catering suppliers and all ancillary services and suppliers. The local night-time economy for the Borough will be revitalised with the track attracting thousands from outside the borough.

Other benefits to the community include the restoration of its heritage. The area is known worldwide for ‘The Stow’ and its restoration will bring back a sense of belonging and community. As with the past, it will also be a tremendous venue for raising much needed charitable monies for local and national good causes. The community facilities will help provide the youth with healthy, entertainment options.

Mr Morton’s vision is supported by the local Members of Parliament Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith (MP for Chingford) and Stella Creasy (MP for Walthamstow). A 20,000 strong petition was handed in to the council in support of the greyhound stadium.

Mr Morton’s plans are compatible with the Mayor’s vision for London. Mayor Boris Johnson has stated that ‘my vision for the regeneration of this site includes a range of leisure uses and new affordable housing, with heritage assets protected and enhanced, and built and designed to the highest architectural and environmental standards.  Ideally, this would restore greyhound racing to this, its primary and historic home’.

It is worth repeating that the concept of a one sided greyhound stadium with development adjacent to the track is proven and successful at tracks such as Shelbourne Park and many other Irish and British sporting arenas.  A local example of a sporting arena and residential housing working together is Leyton Orient Football Stadium.

The catchment area of Walthamstow Stadium runs in to several millions with the borough alone having a population of about 250,000. The new stadium will make full use of its prime location and inherited reputation and values as a top class greyhound stadium. Mr Morton will explore and include new income streams so that the stadium is income producing not just on race nights but also throughout the day and on non race nights.

The new business will offer dynamic and diverse promotion to the City of London’s corporate market as well as the wider corporate and personal market in the huge catchment area that the tracks enjoys. The new business will pay great attention to customer feedback to ensure customer satisfaction and to try to ensure repeat business.

It is envisaged that the arena will be attractive to families and individuals of all ages, creeds and colour. The younger generation can enjoy the evening maybe at the modern, trendy bar, enjoying brand takeaway food before going to the nightclub after racing. The more mature customer may prefer the more formal dining experience offered before maybe attending the after racing jazz/comedy club or similar facility in the Goodwood Lounge. The exclusive dining tables will overlook the winning line and will attract the premier footballers and celebrities alike.

The whole experience will be top class. The top greyhound trainers in the country will train the top greyhounds and race for top prize money. The track itself and all greyhound welfare aspects will be second to none. It will be an exciting yet secure and family friendly experience where the emphasis will be on excitement and quality with other entertainment provided around the greyhound racing itself.

This ‘show business’ yet quality environment will in turn attract huge crowds and in turn new corporate sponsors supplying further revenue streams for the track and inward investment for the Borough.

In short, Mr Morton’s vision is to firstly switch on the world famous neon lights of Walthamstow Stadium. In turn this will illuminate the Borough and help restore the pride and heritage to this part of London.

Mr Morton’s proposal to purchase Walthamstow Stadium is quite simply one that Waltham Forest cannot afford to miss out on. This represents a golden opportunity to change this Borough for the better for generations to come. We urge London & Quadrant to listen to the Mayor, the local Members of Parliament and the residents of the Borough and work with Mr Morton.

An ‘Accept The Bid’ drive will be launched by Government Minister Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith and Stella Creasy (MP for Walthamstow) within the next few days.

We would like to end this Press Statement by thanking Mr Morton for sharing and supporting our vision for the Stadium and we would also like to thank our vast and loyal supporters for all their help and support to date. We would like to wish both Mr Morton and GOBATA the very best of luck with this exciting venture.

Contact : Rick Holloway 07913 325674

SOS response to latest L&Q Press Statement

Save Our Stow, the lobby organisation committed to bringing back greyhound racing, leisure and mixed tenure use of housing for the iconic Walthamstow stadium in East London, is totally amazed and shocked by the latest press release from London & Quadrant, the site owners (Click HERE to view).

L&Q paid 18.1 million pounds (mainly tax payers’ money) for the site, which has been land banked for the last two years – costing the tax payer more money by the day with rates and security costs.  L&Q now claim they can only build 300 units on the site, down from the original 500 units in their public consultation.  This is in effect an admission that they paid far too much for the land as their purchase price would have been based on their building 500 units, not the proposed 300 units. We calculate that they have wasted over £8m of part tax payers money on this deal to date.

L&Q have also not obtained planning permission, and will not be able to do so as the site will be protected by the forthcoming Unitery Development Plan. Again, L&Q’s buying the site without planning permission is total professional incompetence of the highest level and a gamble of tax payers money.

We have had numerous dates from L&Q for when plans will be submitted - the earliest being late 2008 – so any claims made by L&Q cannot be believed. The social housing will only be 150 units, as opposed to Save Our Stow plans which include approximately 65 units and create numerous local jobs, a boost for the whole economy and taking low paid workers off benefits in line with Government policy .

Waltham Forest Council has faced cutbacks from Central Government, including scrapping of the schools building programme.  Yet London & Quadrant is in the borough stopping inward investment and jobs vital to the area.  The 8 million wasted by L&Q could have been used on the schools building programme, helping local people in the borough.

L&Q have already had a public consultation with the local residents, which was attended by hundreds.  They demanded the return of greyhound racing to the iconic site and L&Q have been told by the Borough’s MPs in no uncertain terms – as well as the Mayor of London – that greyhound racing should return to its historic home. The results of this ‘public’ consultation was never made public because of the overwhelming support for the return of greyhound racing.

L&Q are totally out of touch with the residents of the borough, Councillors, the Mayor of London, and MPs.  They should stop all actions on the stadium, thus not wasting any more tax payers’ money, and sell to Mr Morton who will bring back our heritage, hundreds of jobs, inward investment and social housing to the borough.

Further letters of support in this weeks Local Guardian ….

Further letters of support for the re-opening of the Stow have appeared in this weeks Local Guardian newspaper.

Please click HERE to view the letters (Page 14)

Thank you for your emails of support ……

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took the time to write an email to the Local Guardian newspaper voicing their support in bringing back the Stow.

A selection of emails were printed in this weeks Local Guardian (Page 14) and can be viewed by clicking  HERE

Show your support …….

The Local Guardian newspaper is running a survey on Walthamstow Greyhound Stadium and we would be grateful if could take the time and send them an email showing your support for the Stow.

Please email: jbunn@london.newsquest.co.uk